08.25.06
W+3T = the perfect cup of tea! - part 3
posted by Michelle Rabin | 3 comments
T2- Temperature. If you go to 10 different tea web sites and see what they recommend for the ideal temperature to brew different types of teas, you'll probably see 10 different recommended times for each type. We want to make this easier for you. Below please find the recommended temperatures as provided by the Specialty Tea Institute. The truth is, this is a great place to start. Once you become more comfortable with tea and your favorite types, you'll experiment with temperature and time. You'll discover that all green teas are not the same and some you'll enjoy at lower temperatures than others. Some will allow for more steepings than others. As a general rule of thumb, the more delicate whites are brewed at lower temperatures than other tea, although there are some that can handle higher temperatures. Remember, everyone has different tastes and likes and dislikes. Why does one person love Coke and another only drinks Pepsi? Both are colas but we each have our own distinct preferences. I remember when I was willing, for the first time, to purchase some really expensive tea. I ordered from a company I had been getting my tea from for a while and knew they had high grade tea. I actually asked them for a recommendation of their “very best tea”, that was currently available, that I could use for a tea ceremony I had planned for guests. I eagerly awaited the arrival of my tea, which was only 2 ounces due to its substantial price. Needless to say, I couldn't wait for the tea ceremony to sample my prize tea so I brewed up a small pot immediately. Boy was I disappointed. I can't even say it was great. I felt it was “good”. Some might argue that my expectations were too high. What I've since learned is that tea is a lot like wine. Just because a bottle costs $200 doesn't guarantee that you'll like the taste. Will you like the $500 bottle better? Again like fine wine, the high end premium teas will be excellent quality leaves, however, it won't ensure that you'll like it the best. I have found that the higher the quality of tea, often the more subtle the flavor. As ones pallet becomes accustomed to the subtleties of tea, a new world of tastes and smells will await you.
Water temperature recommendations established by the Specialty Tea Institute (STI).
White - 160-170 degrees F or 71-76 degrees C
Green - 170-190 degrees F or 76-88 degrees C
Oolong - 160-180 degrees F or 71-82 degrees C
Black - 190-208 degrees F or 88-98 degrees C
September 1st, 2006 at 6:09 am
Great info to have on brewing teas - however i think most of our electric ‘kettles’ in NZ always boil the water. Any suggestions on how to check temperature? should i pour it out into my mug and let it cool some first then add the tea? Thanks - PS I like the site.
September 1st, 2006 at 6:23 am
Hi - i left a comment earlier and forgot to add - please post the temperature in C as well. Carol
September 1st, 2006 at 11:39 am
Hi Carol - You’re our first guest from “down under” - welcome. The issue of using previously boiled water creates some difficulties. Water that has been boiled has impacted the oxygenation of the water, making for a “flatter” cup of tea. Non-the-less, it can still be used. Just be aware of this result. I recommend that you get a thermometer. You might already have one that you use to poke into meat to check for doneness. If you pour some water into a favorite mug, you can do a few tests that will allow you to know the right temperture for future steepings. Using the thermometer, and a timer (or clock), check the temperature of the water after 2 minutes. Repeat at 30-60 second intervals until the water has cooled to the correct temperature. Once this has been accomplished, you’ll know that you can just set your timer, in the future, for the appropriate amount of minutes/seconds each time you use that same mug, and are wanting to drink the same type of tea. This assumes that you get the water out from the kettle at about the same time following the boil. You can also repeat this process using the entire contents of the kettle, when making larger amounts of tea for family or guests. Once the water has reached the appropriate temperature for the type of tea you’re drinking, add the leaves to the water and leave them in according to correct steeping time for each particular type of tea. We usually pour water over the leaves but being from NZ, it seems fitting for you to do it backward. Seriously though, just be sure that the leave are fully submerged. You’ll notice that premium teas will sink to the bottom. Please remember that when you change the size of the mug, the time it takes to cool the water will vary. Also remember that when you’re using premium whole leaf tea, you can reuse those same leaves 4-7 times throughout the day, depending on which type of tea you’re using.
Thanks also for your comment about Celsius verses Fehrenheit. I’ll add that to the temperature chart today. Living in America, we forget that the rest of the world uses Celsius.